Indian History & Post-Independence, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
Q. 1. Discuss how colonialism contributed to the redrawing of political boundaries and the creation of modern nation-states in the 19th and 20th centuries. (150 words, 10 marks)
Introduction
Colonialism—the domination and exploitation of foreign lands for imperial benefit—reshaped the world’s political map. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it imposed artificial borders and systems that evolved into the framework of modern nation-states.
Body
Colonial impact: Political Restructuring
- Arbitrary Borders Drawn: Colonial powers carved territories with little regard for ethnic, tribal, or linguistic realities. Example: The 1884 Berlin Conference divided Africa into zones that split ethnic groups and merged rivals.
- Centralised Administration: Colonial governments established bureaucracies that became postcolonial state structures. Example: British India’s civil service and provincial system became templates for independent India.
- Mandated States Created: Colonizers drew new borders after dismantling old empires. Example: Iraq, Syria, and Palestine were carved from Ottoman lands by British and French mandates.
Colonial impact: Socio-Economic Legacies
- Urban Centers Became Capitals: Colonial settlements transformed into postcolonial administrative hubs. Example: Nairobi, once a British railway post, emerged as the capital of Kenya.
- Colonial Economic Patterns Persisted: Resource extraction economies caused long-term regional inequalities. Example: Belgian Congo’s mining-centric economy left vast disparities post-independence.
- Ethnic Identities Hardened: Colonial censuses rigidified identities, sowing future divisions. Example: Belgian classification of Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda worsened ethnic tensions.
Emergence of Nation-States
- Anti-Colonial Movements Unified Populations: Resistance fostered collective national identities. Example: India’s struggle against the British created a cohesive idea of the Indian nation.
- Adoption of European State Models: Most postcolonial nations retained imposed borders and institutions. Example: African nations accepted colonial frontiers to avoid further conflict and disintegration.
Conclusion
Colonialism redrew maps, imposed borders, and shaped the institutions of many modern states. Though independence came later, colonial legacies still define the political and social contours of much of the contemporary world.
